Alumni Volunteer of the Year

Owen Whitfield (BSc Tech Chemical Engineering 1980) was nominated by Dr Alan Dunbar from the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, for the amazing commitment he’s shown to our chemical engineering students. 

Since 2011, Owen has been a regular volunteer consistently supporting advisory boards, networking events, and our ‘Engineering You’re Hired’ project weeks. Most recently, he has devoted significant time on campus delivering guest lectures as well as a series of consultancy sessions to help students get a real industrial perspective on their design projects.

“The profession of chemical engineering provided me with a rewarding career, so giving back is something I’m passionate about. It has been a privilege to share my knowledge of industry with the students at Sheffield. I hope that by sharing some insights I might inspire them and help them on their way as they continue their journey to become our engineers of the future and deliver Net Zero.”

Discover how you can support students as an alumni volunteer.